


Just Three Questions

by Sethrine



Series: Without Humanity, We Are Lost [1]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst, Vagueness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-01
Updated: 2014-03-01
Packaged: 2018-01-14 04:53:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1253584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sethrine/pseuds/Sethrine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just three questions was all he would ask.</p><p>There were no right or wrong answers, just the ones you gave him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Three Questions

**Author's Note:**

> Been without a proper phone to get on the internet with, and my writing has suffered because of it.
> 
> While I attempt to get my muse back in order, enjoy this little number!

"Th-three questions?" was all you were able to garble out through your fit of crying, a slight hiccup separating the syllables and making you sound even more of the mess you were. 

How you survived on your own this long was a miracle in and of itself. Before, you had family and friends to help you along when it was needed. Your group had been small at the start of the end of humanity, only consisting of five people, including yourself, but everyone was close to one another. You had each others' backs, taught yourselves how to fight and scavange and _survive_ in this God-forsaken world overrun by the walking dead, and for the longest time, it worked. 

The bright blue eyes staring you down cautiously were the first pair of eyes of the living you had seen in over three months. The man they belonged to -he said his name was Rick, that he was only trying to help- had been steadily attempting to calm you despite your pointing a sharpened broom handle at him wearily. Your grip was shaky at best, and it was more for your security than posing a threat toward him. 

Earlier, there had been only a handful of walking dead coming at you, but weeks of paranoid loneliness and days of being on the brink of a mental breakdown had finally taken over. You managed to kill the small horde before collapsing against a tree, allowing your grief to consume you. You weren't sure exactly how long you sat there, legs to your chest and sobs muffled by your crossed arms, when Rick came out of nowhere with hesitant steps and hands held up slightly as if to show he meant you no harm. 

"Just three questions," he answered carefully, his eyes remaining on your own. His gaze was steady and calm, yet cautious as he tried to anticipate anything you might try to pull against him. He had nothing to worry about, however; human life was a sacred thing nowadays, and you had no intention of taking that away from him. To show this, you finally lowered your makeshift weapon, letting it drop to the side. 

"What if...what if I get them wrong?" you asked shakily, wiping at your eyes in a vain attempt to clean yourself up. 

"There aren't any wrong answers, just the ones you give me. If they're ideal answers, I'll take you with me, show you to the group, and you'll be one of us." 

"And if they're n-not ideal?" 

Rick's gaze didn't falter, though he visibly seemed to hesitate. It was all the explaination you needed, a fresh wave of tears forcing their way just behind your eyes at the possibility of being alone once again. 

What did you have to lose? All your emotional ties were gone from this world. You were running on fumes as it was, and though you were excellent at scavenging, your constant paranoia as of late never gave you long to look for what you desperately needed. You needed food, sleep, a place of safety. You needed the company of another human being, to know that you weren't the only one still alive in this world as you had thought for so long. 

You took in a deep breath before nodding, letting him know that you were ready for his questions. There was a long moment of silence, of a gentle breeze passing through the thick foliage of the forest trees above, before he spoke again. 

"How many Walkers have you killed?" 

"More than I ever wanted to," you answered quietly, your gaze shifting to the lifeless bodies you had taken care of possibly hours ago. "N-no more than a hundred since the start. I don't know exactly." 

Rick followed your gaze to the dead Walkers a few feet away, his features showing a moment's worth of sympathy before moving on to the next question. 

"How many people have you killed?" 

You closed your eyes tightly, biting at your lower lip to keep yourself from breaking down again. The pain was still too great, the loss still too fresh on your mind.... 

"One, just...j-just one." 

Rick hesitated once more at your answer. No, it wasn't hesitance, but rather a moment of kind condolence to what was a rather sensitive subject for you, a sort of recognition of whatever hard time you had endured. It was a kind gesture you hadn't expected, and you were thankful for it. 

You nodded at him once again a minute later, needing to get the last question out of the way before you lost your senses all over again. 

"Why?" 

"Because she was sick," you answered slowly, taking in a steady breath, "and I couldn't save her. She made-" 

Your voice broke as you attempted to get your words out, your mind going back to _that_ night as if it had just happened. 

"She made me promise. If she got worse, if she didn't get any better...I couldn't break that promise, not to her. Never to her." 

The silence that followed was the final judgement. Rick stared at you for a long moment as if trying to find any flaws or lies in what you had told him. Would your answers be good enough? How much would it matter what you had done in the past? He had every right to leave you where you were, turn his back to you and walk away as if he had never even come across your broken form. The fact that you were being given a chance at something better in a world gone to hell was more than you even anticipated. 

After a while, Rick gave a single nod of his head. 

"Okay," he said quietly, standing to his feet and offering his hand to you. You eyed his outstretched palm in disbelief before looking up at him. You could practically feel your lips quiver as you repeated that single word aloud. 

"Okay?" 

"Okay," he said once more, his voice solid and genuine and like a prayer that had finally been answered. "Our place isn't too far from here. The people are kind, hard working, helpful. You're welcome to stay as long as you like, for a few days or until the gates decide to fall." 

You eyed his hand for a moment longer with absolute wonder before reaching up to take it, fingers trembling the whole time. Rick helped you stand on slightly unsteady legs with a firm tug upward. Once your balance was restored, you picked up your weapon from the ground and wiped at your face one last time, more confident with each swipe that there wouldn't be anymore tears anytime soon. 

Then, as if the sky had cleared in a kingdom that had suffered several weeks of rain, you gave a bright, genuine smile. 

"Thank you, thank you so much." 

Rick gave yet another single nod of his head, ever so slightly offput by such a reaction. He motioned for you to follow beside him as he began walking the same way he had come. 

"Keep close, alright?" 

"Promise," you answered quickly as you made to catch up, missing the smallest lilt of his lips at your reply.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first in a series of works I have in planning. Hope to see you around for the next bit!


End file.
